Newsroom

Arts Advocates,

We know it has been a stressful and emotional time for many of you. We are navigating challenging circumstances at the local, state, and federal levels – but know that we are in this fight together and we will continue to champion equitable solutions to our most pressing challenges. Remember that the work cannot continue if you are not first finding time to care for yourself and those you love. Let’s get into some news from the last few months.

Laura Zucker Fellowship Report

Last month, we unveiled Arts and Music in Schools: Exploring Prop 28 Implementation and Public Perceptions in Los Angeles County by Lindsey T. Kunisaki, the culmination of six months of research, interviews with regional district arts leaders, surveys of LA County residents, and rigorous analysis. Coming at a time of heightened concerns from parents, teachers, and community members around transparency and potential misuse of funds, this report provides an analysis of varying district level implementation efforts and public perceptions of Prop 28 in practice. 

Key challenges identified in the report include shortages of qualified arts educators, insufficient classroom space, and limited time in school schedules to accommodate additional arts programming. The report also underscores the need for collaboration and community involvement in the continued rollout of Prop 28 and recommends tangible actions schools, districts, families, students, community based organizations, and government agencies can take to meet the promise of this historic opportunity.

Podcasts

In an effort to build community and stress the importance of advocacy (for both individuals and organizations), we were featured as guests in three separate podcasts during the month of November:

• The Collective Impact Forum: Last year, Independent Sector published research on how nonprofit advocacy has declined from 74% participation in 2000 to only 31%. To better understand how collaboratives can participate in advocacy to support policy change and collective goals, we discuss our Creative Jobs Collective Impact Initiative (CJCII), and how we’ve used data to strengthen our work.
• Indy Shakes’ Community Action Update: Each quarter, Carene Mekertichyan (ISC Artistic Associate for Social Justice) introduces artists to people making a difference in LA and breaks down ways folks can take action to help make Los Angeles a wonderful city for all. In this episode, I chat with Carene about the importance of voting and reflect on the power of the arts. You’ll also hear from community members who attended our Voter Activation Day.
• On the Fringe: In their very first episode, Co-directors of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Ellen and Lois, chat with me about the state of the arts, the need for narrative change around the value of the arts, and the urgency of increased funding for artists, arts organizations, and businesses.

Measure G

The LA County Government Structure, Ethics and Accountability Charter Amendment passed by a majority of LA voters! This will be the first major governance reform in over 100 years. It will enhance representation, transparency, and accountability in local government by expanding the Board of Supervisors from 5 to 9 members, creating an elected County Executive Officer, and establishing an Independent Ethics Commission. Each supervisor will represent approximately 1.1 million residents and budget hearings will now be public. Most of these changes are expected to take shape in 2028. 

CA Film Tax Credit

One of our core strategic recommendations presented to the LA County Board of Supervisors in April as part of our jobs initiative was to double the CA film tax credit to help secure LA’s role as the premier destination for film and television production. We are thrilled with Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to increase the tax credit to $750 million, a move that will reestablish California as the leading state for film incentives. This bold initiative has the potential to revitalize the entertainment industry, which has faced significant challenges in recent years due to the pandemic and historic labor strikes. 

H.R. 9495

Cal NonProfits: Last month, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9495, alarming legislation that would grant the Secretary of the Treasury unrestricted power to strip away the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations deemed “terrorist-supporting organizations” without sufficient due process. While it’s not expected to pass the Senate, we cannot be complacent. Some or all of the bill will almost certainly be reintroduced in 2025. Want to take action? See how your local representative voted on H.R. 9495 here and contact them to share either concerns or praise based on their vote.

If you haven’t already, sign up for alerts in our Action Center. 

Upcoming

• We are currently building our 2025-2027 Policy and Advocacy Agenda which will set strategic priorities for the next two years. 
• Complete this survey by December 17th at 5pm to share your thoughts and be entered into a holiday raffle. One winner will receive a swag bag and a $50 Visa gift card.

See you next month, Changemakers.

Always,

Ricky